Job 28:12 — Word Study
WLCוְֽ֭הַחָכְמָה מֵאַ֣יִן תִּמָּצֵ֑א וְאֵ֥י זֶ֝ה מְק֣וֹם בִּינָֽה׃
BSABut whereʼayin [in what place, from what source] can wisdomchokmâh [skill, prudence, or good judgment] be foundmâtsâʼ▸ [discovered, attained] and whereʼay [in what location, by what means] does understandingbîynâh [discernment, knowledge, or insight] dwellmâqôwm [reside, abide, or have its place]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וְֽ֭הַחָכְמָה | and wisdom | Conjunction, particle, noun common feminine singular absolute |
| מֵאַ֣יִן | from where? | Preposition, particle |
| תִּמָּצֵ֑א | will it be found | Verb, Niphal, imperfect third person feminine singular |
| וְאֵ֥י | and where? | Conjunction, particle |
| זֶ֝ה | this | Particle |
| מְק֣וֹם | [is the] place of | Noun common, masculine singular construct |
| בִּינָֽה׃ | understanding | Noun common, feminine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | But where can wisdom be found, and where does understanding dwell? |
| KJV | But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding? |
| ASV | But where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding? |
| YLT | And the wisdom — whence is it found? And where [is] this, the place of understanding? |
| WEB | “But where will wisdom be found? Where is the place of understanding? |
| BBE | But where may wisdom be seen? and where is the resting-place of knowledge? |
Translations generally agree on the meaning of wisdom and understanding in this verse.
The verse consists of two main inquiries, emphasizing the search for wisdom and understanding.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbמָצָא
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Job 28:12
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Search for Wisdomgenerated
Job 28:12 is part of a larger passage where Job explores the nature and value of wisdom. He questions the sources of wisdom and understanding, emphasizing their rarity and the inability of humans to fully grasp their worth. This section highlights the contrast between human limitations and divine knowledge, as Job reflects on the hiddenness of wisdom in the world.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Job 28:20–28 | From where then does wisdom come, and where does understanding dwell? |
| 2 | 1 Kings 3:9 | Therefore give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people and to discern between good and evil. For who is able to govern this great people of Yours?” |
| 3 | Psalm 51:6 | Surely You desire truth in the inmost being; You teach me wisdom in the inmost place. |
| 4 | Proverbs 2:4–6 | if you seek it like silver and search it out like hidden treasure, |
| 5 | Proverbs 3:19 | The LORD founded the earth by wisdom and established the heavens by understanding. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 9 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — חָכְמָה, cha.khe.mahgenerated
The word חָכְמָה (chokmah) refers to wisdom, encompassing skill, prudence, or good judgment. It is derived from the root חָכַם (chakam), which denotes the act of being wise or discerning.
In this verse, Job seeks to understand where wisdom can be discovered, indicating its elusive nature. The parsing as a noun in the feminine singular suggests a quality or concept rather than a specific instance.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The translations generally agree on the rendering of the key terms.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verb תִּמָּצֵא (will it be found) governs the inquiry about wisdom and understanding, with two clauses structured around it: one asking about the location of wisdom and the other about the dwelling of understanding.
The structure emphasizes Job's questioning nature, with the repetition of 'where' highlighting the search for these elusive qualities.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates חָכְמָה as σοφία (sophia), which also means wisdom but carries connotations of philosophical insight. This choice reflects a broader interpretation of wisdom beyond practical skill.
For בִּינָה, the LXX uses ἐπιστήμης (epistēmēs), which emphasizes knowledge and understanding, aligning with the Greek philosophical tradition.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Job 28:12 asks where wisdom and understanding can be found. Job reflects on the difficulty of locating these qualities, emphasizing their value and the challenge of attaining them.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Job is expressing the idea that wisdom is not easily accessible or understood, highlighting its rarity.
Job uses the metaphor of a place to illustrate that understanding is not just a concept but a state of being that is difficult to attain.
This verse is part of Job's exploration of suffering and the nature of divine wisdom, contrasting human understanding with God's knowledge.
It shows a deep yearning for knowledge and understanding, as well as the recognition of human limitations in grasping these profound concepts.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what areas of my life do I seek wisdom, and how do I pursue it?
- How can I better understand the nature of true understanding in my daily decisions?
- What does this verse teach me about the limitations of human knowledge?
- How can I apply the search for wisdom in my relationships and interactions with others?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Gregory the Dialogist comments on this verse, reflecting on the nature of wisdom and understanding as elusive and precious.
But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding? Man knoweth not the price thereof: neither is it found in the land of them that live pleasantly.Early Church Fathers on Job 28 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Job 28:12 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleBut where shall wisdom be found?.... Though there is a vein for silver, a track where that lies, and is to be come at, and a place where gold is found, and where it may be refined, and parts of the
Read John Gill on Job 28 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryBut where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding? But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding?
Read Robert Jamieson on Job 28 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleWisdom, Heb. that wisdom; for here is an article which seems to be emphatical. The sense is, I confess that man hath one kind of wisdom in a great measure, to wit, to discover the works of nature, and to perform the operations of art; but as for that sublime and eminent wisdom, which consists in the exact knowledge of all God’ s counsels and ways, and of the several manners and reasons of his governing the world, and dealing with good and bad men, this is far above man’ s reach, and is the prerogative of God alone. Where is the place of understanding? there is no vein for that upon the earth, as there is for gold or silver.
Read Matthew Poole on Job 28 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJob 28:12 But where shall wisdom be found? and where [is] the place of understanding?Ver. 12. But where shall wisdom be found?] Here is now the other part of the antithesis, and the second part of the chapter, which is not as hard as the former was. Wisdom is either natural or spiritual, 1 Corinthians 2:11-15, earthly or heavenly, James 3:15 The wisdom here inquired after is supernal and supernatural; such as can neither be found upon the earth or dug out of it; such as cannot be fathomed or found out by human abilities or by natural reason. "But God revealeth it unto his by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God," 1 Corinthians 2:10. And with this…
Read John Trapp on Job 28 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(12) But where shall wisdom be found?—With magnificent effect comes in this question, after the gigantic achievements of man just recounted; notwithstanding his industry, science, and skill, he is altogether ignorant of true wisdom. Neither his knowledge nor his wealth can make him master of that; nor can he find it where he discovers so many other secret and precious things.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Job 28 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 12. But where shall wisdom be found?] It is most evident that the terms wisdom and understanding are used here in a widely different sense from all those arts and sciences which have their relation to man in his animal and social state, and from all that reason and intellect by which man is distinguished from all other animals. Now as these terms חכמה chochmah, wisdom, and בינה binah, understanding or discernment, are often applied in the sacred writings in their common acceptations, we must have recourse to what Job says of them, to know their meaning in this place. In Job 28:28, he says, The fear of the Lord is WISDOM, and to depart from evil is UNDERSTANDING. We know that the fear…
Read AdamClarke on Job 28 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges12–14. The precious ores and costly stones though hidden have a place where they may be found, and man knows how to reach it and bring that which is hid to light, but where can Wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding? It has no place and is unattainable by man; it is not to be found in the land of the living, in the deep nor in the sea.
Read Cambridge on Job 28 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleBut where shall wisdom be found? - That is, the full understanding of the plans of God - for this is the point of inquiry.
Read Albert Barnes on Job 28 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
But where can wisdom be found, and where does understanding dwell?
“But where will wisdom be found? Where is the place of understanding?
But where can wisdom be found, and where does understanding dwell?
“But wisdom – where can it be found? Where is the place of understanding?
Tyndale line
But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding?
But where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding?
But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding?
But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding?
But where is wisdome found? and where is the place of vnderstanding?
Strictly literal
But wisdom, where shall it be found? and where is the place of understanding?
And the wisdom — whence is it found? And where [is] this, the place of understanding?
And the wisdom—from where is it found? And where [is] this, the place of understanding?
But wisdom—where shall she he found? and where is the place of understanding?
Where will wisdom be found? Where is the place of understanding?
From the Latin
But where is wisdom to be found, and where is the place of understanding?
Simplified
But where can wisdom be found? Where is the place to gain understanding?
But where may wisdom be seen? and where is the resting-place of knowledge?
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree closely in their wording. The Septuagint matches all seven words of the Hebrew text, reflecting a consistent interpretation of the verse.
וְֽ֭הַחָכְמָה מֵאַ֣יִן תִּמָּצֵ֑א וְאֵ֥י זֶ֝ה מְק֣וֹם בִּינָֽה׃
7 of the 7 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Job 28:12
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
חָכְמָה (chokmah) means wisdom and encompasses various forms of skill, including in war and administration, as well as shrewdness and ethical prudence. It is built from the root word for wisdom, חָכַם (chakam). The term appears in contexts related to both practical and religious matters.
חָכְמָה n.f. wisdom
skill in war
wisdom, in administration
shrewdness, wisdom
wisdom, prudence in religious affairs
wisdom, ethical and religious
base
H2451 חָכְמָה wisdom . skill in war
. wisdom, in administration
. shrewdness, wisdom
. wisdom, prudence in religious affairs
. wisdom, ethical and religious
2451 chokmah khok-maw'
from 2449; wisdom (in a good sense):--skilful, wisdom,
wisely, wit.
see HEBREW for 02449
חׇכְמָה (chokh.mah) — wisdom.
1) wisdom
1a) skill (in war)
1b) wisdom (in administration)
1c) shrewdness, wisdom
1d) wisdom, prudence (in religious affairs)
1e) wisdom (ethical and religious)
Conj | Art | N-fs — Conjunction · particle · noun common feminine singular absoluteHC/Td/Ncfsa
wiz'-dum:
1. Linguistic
2. History
3. Religious Basis
4. Ideals
5. Teaching of Christ
6. Remainder of the New Testament
(1) James
(2) Paul
7. Hypostasis
LITERATURE
1. Linguistic:
In the Revised Version (British and American) the noun "wisdom" and its corresponding adjective and verb ("be wise," "act wisely," etc.) represent a variety of Hebrew words: bin (binah, and in the English Revised Version tebunah), sakhal (sekhel, sekhel), lebh (and in the English Revised Version labhabh), tushiyah (and in the English Revised Version Te`em, `ormah, piqqach. None of these, however, is of very frequent occurrence and by far the most common group is the verb chakham, with the adjective chakham, and the nouns chokhmah, chokhmoth, with something over 300 occurrences in the Old Testament (of which rather more than half are in Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes). Cokhmah, accordingly, may be treated as the Hebrew…
אַ֫יִן (aiyn) is an adverb meaning 'whence?' or 'where?'. It is likely related to another Hebrew word, suggesting a sense of inquiry. The entries consistently emphasize its use in questions regarding location, particularly when prefixed with a preposition.
[אַ֫יִן] adv. whence?
base
H370 [אַ֫יִן] whence?
370 'aiyn ah-yin'
probably identical with 369 in the sense of query (compare
336); --where? (only in connection with prepositional prefix,
whence):--whence, where.
see HEBREW for 0369
see HEBREW for 0336
אַ֫יִן (a.yin) — where?.
where?, whence?
Prep | Part — Preposition · particleHR/Ti
מָצָא (matsa') is a Hebrew verb meaning to find or attain. It encompasses a range of actions, including discovering something lost, encountering someone, or coming upon a situation. The word can also imply being present or sufficient. Lexicons note various forms and uses, including Qal, Niphal, and Hiphil, which indicate different nuances of finding and encountering.
מָצָא 452 vb. attain to, find
Qal
find
find out
= come upon, light upon
noteworthy phrases
Niph. pass. of Qal, be found
Hiph.
cause to find, attain
cause to light upon, come upon, come
cause to encounter
present unto
base
H4672 מָצָא attain to, find
4672 matsa' maw-tsaw'
a primitive root; properly, to come forth to, i.e. appear or
exist; transitively, to attain, i.e. find or acquire;
figuratively, to occur, meet or be present:--+ be able,
befall, being, catch, X certainly, (cause to) come (on, to, to
hand), deliver, be enough (cause to) find(-ing, occasion,
out), get (hold upon), X have (here), be here, hit, be left,
light (up-)on, meet (with), X occasion serve, (be) present,
ready, speed, suffice, take hold on.
מָצָא (ma.tsa) — to find.
1) to find, attain to
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to find
1a1a) to find, secure, acquire, get (thing sought)
1a1b) to find (what is lost)
1a1c) to meet, encounter
1a1d) to find (a condition)
1a1e) to learn, devise
1a2) to find out
1a2a) to find out
1a2b) to detect
1a2c) to guess
1a3) to come upon, light upon
1a3a) to happen upon, meet, fall in with
1a3b) to hit
1a3c) to befall
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be found
1b1a) to be encountered, be lighted upon, be discovered
1b1b) to appear, be recognised
1b1c) to be discovered, be detected
1b1d) to be gained, be secured
1b2) to be, be found
1b2a) to be found in
1b2b) to be in the possession of
1b2c) to be found in (a place), happen to be
1b2d) to be left (after war)
1b2e) to be present
1b2f) to prove to be
1b2g) to be found sufficient, be enough
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to cause to find, attain
1c2) to cause to light upon, come upon, come
1c3) to cause to encounter
V-Niphal-Imperf-3fs — Verb · Niphal · imperfect third person feminine singularHVNi3fs
אַי (ay) is an interrogative adverb meaning 'where?' It can also be prefixed to other adverbs or pronouns to add an interrogative force. The word covers a range of meanings related to location and inquiry, including 'how,' 'what,' and 'whence.'
[אַי]
interrog. adv. where?
prefixed to other adverbs or prons., אַי imparts an interrog. force
base
H335 אַי . interrog. adv. where?
. prefixed to other adverbs or prons., אַי imparts an interrog. force
335 'ay ah'ee
perhaps from 370; where? hence how?:--how, what, whence,
where, whether, which (way).
see HEBREW for 0370
אַי (ay) — where?.
1) whereto ?, whence?
2) which?, how? (in prefix with other adverb)
Conj | Part — Conjunction · particleHC/Ti
זֶה (zeh) is a demonstrative pronoun meaning 'this' or 'here.' It can stand alone, be used appositively, or function as a predicate. The word can also attach enclitically to interrogative pronouns, adding emphasis and directness. In poetry, it may serve as a relative pronoun, though this usage is rare.
זֶה demonstr.pron. and adv.; fem. זֹאת, once זֹאתָה; this, here
standing alone
In appos. to subst.
More oft. as pred.
It is attached enclitically, almost as an adv., to certain words, esp. interrog. pronouns, to impart, in a manner often not reproducible in Engl. idiom, directness and force, bringing the question or statement made into close relation with the speaker.
In poetry, as a relative pron. (rare)
With prefixes (in special senses)
base
H2088 זֶה demonstr. pron. and adv.; fem. זֹאת, once זֹאתָה; this, here . standing alone
. In appos. to subst.
. More oft. as pred.
. It is attached enclitically, almost as an adv., to certain words, esp. interrog. pronouns, to impart, in a manner often not reproducible in Engl. idiom, directness and force, bringing the question or statement made into close relation with the speaker.
. In poetry, as a relative pron. (rare)
. With prefixes (in special senses)
2088 zeh zeh
a primitive word; the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this
or that:--he, X hence, X here, it(-self), X now, X of him, the
one...the other, X than the other, (X out of) the (self) same,
such (a one) that, these, this (hath, man), on this side...on
that side, X thus, very, which. Compare 2063, 2090, 2097,
2098.
see HEBREW for 02063
see HEBREW for 02090
see HEBREW for 02097
see HEBREW for 02098
זֶה (zeh) — this.
1) this, this one, here, which, this...that, the one...the other, another, such
1a) (alone)
1a1) this one
1a2) this...that, the one...the other, another
1b) (appos to subst)
1b1) this
1c) (as predicate)
1c1) this, such
1d) (enclitically)
1d1) then
1d2) who, whom
1d3) how now, what now
1d4) what now
1d5) wherefore now
1d6) behold here
1d7) just now
1d8) now, now already
1e) (poetry)
1e1) wherein, which, those who
1f) (with prefixes)
1f1) in this (place) here, then
1f2) on these conditions, herewith, thus provided, by, through this, for this cause, in this matter
1f3) thus and thus
1f4) as follows, things such as these, accordingly, to that effect, in like manner, thus and thus
1f5) from here, hence, on one side...on the other side
1f6) on this account
1f7) in spite of this, which, whence, how
HTm — ParticleHTm
מָקוֹם (maqom) means 'place' and encompasses a variety of contexts, including a standing place, station, or post. It can refer to human abodes, localities, regions, and even figurative conditions of body or mind. The term is derived from a root meaning 'standing' and is used broadly in the Old Testament.
מָקוֹם, מָקֹם 399 n.m. standing-place, place
standing-place
station, where soldiers are placed
post, office
place where a thing belongs
esp.
place of human abode
of י׳’s abode
place
in gen. place, locality, spot
space, room
space, distance, between
region, quarter, direction
peculiar uses
base
H4725 מָקוֹם, מָקֹם standing-place, place . . standing-place
. station, where soldiers are placed
. post, office
. . place where a thing belongs
. esp. . place of human abode
. of י׳’s abode
. place
. in gen. place, locality, spot
. . space, room
. space, distance, between
. region, quarter, direction
. peculiar uses
4725 maqowm maw-kome'
or maqom {maw-kome'}; also (feminine) mqowmah {mek-o-mah'};
or mqomah {mek-o-mah'}; from 6965; properly, a standing, i.e.
a spot; but used widely of a locality (general or specific);
also (figuratively) of a condition (of body or
mind):--country, X home, X open, place, room, space, X
whither(-soever).
see HEBREW for 06965
מָקוֹם (ma.qom) — place.
1) standing place, place
1a) standing place, station, post, office
1b) place, place of human abode
1c) city, land, region
1d) place, locality, spot
1e) space, room, distance
1f) region, quarter, direction
1g) give place to, instead of
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular constructHNcmsc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
בִּינָה (biynah) means understanding and encompasses the act, faculty, and object of knowledge, even personified in some contexts. It is derived from the root meaning to discern or comprehend. The Aramaic equivalent is בִּינָה (H0999).
בִּינָה n.f. understanding
the act
the faculty
the object of knowledge
personified
base
H998 בִּינָה understanding . the act
. the faculty
. the object of knowledge
. personified
998 biynah bee-naw'
from 995; understanding:--knowledge, meaning, X perfectly,
understanding, wisdom.
see HEBREW for 0995
בִּינָה (bi.nah) — understanding.
1) understanding, discernment
1a) act
1b) faculty
1c) object
1d) personified
Aramaic equivalent: bi.nah (בִּינָה "understanding" H0999)
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absoluteHNcfsa